The Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) yesterday sent a message to its Chinese counterpart, the Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Strait (ARATS), asking for the immediate release of a former high-ranking Taiwan intelligence official.
The official has been detained by Chinese security agents since last Thursday.
SEF vice chairman and secretary-general Shi Hwei-yow
"Pan is a recently retired public servant. He went to China to accept a job offered by a branch of the Taiwan-based Tiwen (帝聞) electronics company in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province. After checking with the Taiwanese businessmen's association in Shenzhen, we found that there is nothing irregular with the company," Shi said.
"We hope the Chinese authorities will release Pan in the shortest time possible so as not to affect the exchange and business interaction between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait," Shi said.
"We hope the release will happen after the Chinese authorities complete the necessary investigation procedures," he said.
Shi made the statements at a press conference at the SEF's Taipei headquarters, which took place shortly after a meeting yesterday morning between Shi and Pan's wife, Liang Mei-ling
Shi promised to do the best he could to secure Pan's release and drafted a letter to ARATS at the meeting with Liang. Shi sent the letter by fax immediately afterward.
In the letter, Shi urged Chinese authorities to guarantee Pan's safety and allow his family members to travel to China to bring him back.
Chiang Jen-hsiung (
Chiang, who recently returned from China, said the Tiwen company is a member of the association and that it is a well-established company both in Taiwan and abroad.
Legislator Chin Hui-chu
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